Messages From General Dwight D. Eisenhower
prior and after Normandy D-Day
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCESoldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944 ! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.
Our Home Fronts have given us an superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world marching together to Victory!
I have full confidence in your devotion to duty and skill in battle.
We will accept nothing less than full Victory!Good Luck! And let us all beseech blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
NAVAL COMMANDER WESTERN TASK FORCE
USS AUGUSTA, Flagship
File No. CTF122/a2;-1 1 Serial: 722
RESTRICTED: 17 June 1944
From: Naval Commander Western Task Force
To: Western Naval ForcesSubject: Message from Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces.
The following message from the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force is to be published in morning orders and place on bulletin boards of vessels and units to this command:"To the soldiers, airmen, sailors and merchant seamen and all others of the Allied Expeditionary Forces:
One week ago this morning there was established through your coordinated efforts our first foot hold in northwestern Europe. High as was my pre-invasion confidence in your courage, skill and effectiveness in working together as a unit, your accomplishments of the first seven days of this campaign have exceeded my brightest hopes. You are truly a great allied team, a team which each part gains its greatest satisfaction in rendering maximum assistance to the entire body, and in which each individual member be justifiably confident in all others.
No matter how prolonged or bitter the struggle that lies ahead, you will do your full part toward the restoration of all france, the liberation of all Europe and nations under axis domination, and the destruction of the Nazi military machine.
I truly congratulate you upon a brilliantly successful beginning to this great undertaking. Liberty loving people everywhere would today like to join me in say to you: 'I am proud of you.'
/S/ GENERAL EISENHOWER"
/S/ A.G. KIRK
American Merchant Marine on D-Day at Normandy
Home06/02/04